1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the field of food storage devices and systems, particularly for the storage of eggs in cooled food storage spaces.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Many containers for eggs have been proposed, including the ubiquitous foam-based and paperboard egg cartons, plastic egg holders in refrigerator units, and a variety of rigid egg trays. Examples include those described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,188,044, “Egg Tray,” issued to R. N. Hickman, Jan. 23, 1940; U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,443, “Egg Tray for Refrigerators,” issued to A. C. Jermyn Mar. 23, 1948; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,034, “Egg Container,” issued to A. Arnabili, Apr. 7, 1992, and D210,613, issued Aug. 14, 1967 to R. G. Moore.
In spite of the many products offered, there remains an unmet need for storage containers that can make efficient use of space, particularly in refrigerators where users frequently struggle to find adequate space to store and organize various items. Previous devices such as portable durable egg containers with covers often require that the user remove the entire container from a cooled storage space in order to remove even one egg, or provide sufficient clearance above the egg container to be able to remove a cover or lid that spans the entire length of the container in order to remove a single egg. Further, containers commonly provided for eggs often are unable to bear significant weight, making them unsuitable for routine stacking of other items thereupon. These and other limitations of the prior art have resulted in unmet user needs regarding efficient and convenient egg storage and removal systems. The various embodiments of the invention described below may individually address one or more of such needs or problems, but it is to be understood that not all prior problems herein noted need be addressed in any one embodiment of the invention as defined by the claims below.